An Excellent Space Opera from Divergent Author Roth

Carve the Mark (Carve the Mark, #1) by Veronica Roth

On the frozen planet of Thuvhe, both native Thuvhesits and their conquerors, the Shotet, worship the universal current that blesses them with current-gifts. Shotet warrior-princess Cyra Noavek’s deadly talent is used by her ruthless brother, Ryzek, to torture his enemies—a gift that also leaves her in constant, excruciating agony. When Ryzek hears that Akos, a Thuvhesit farm-boy, can neutralize the current-gift of others, he removes him from his family and brings him to the palace to act as companion and cure-all for Cyra. As the two grow from reluctant acquaintances to fast friends, a flurry of activity from the surrounding cast of characters slowly drives the plot forward, culminating in a revolt against Ryzek’s power. 

Veronica Roth’s latest is a lot to take in, and is as different from her bestselling debut, Divergent, as day is from night. While Divergent is a flawed dystopian tale, an obvious first novel told by a talented yet inexperienced novice, Carve the Mark is something else entirely. It’s a soaring space opera peopled by complex characters, with a believable story-universe made all the more real by intricate world-building details. The action is a bit slow to build, but since the author takes pains to establish necessary backstory before moving on to the real meat of the narrative, this is a forgivable flaw. The verdict: while Divergent fans may not find this latest work to their liking, fans of space operas will definitely love it. Recommended for Gr 9 Up for violence and language.

Kiss Me in New York

Kiss Me in New York by Catherine Rider

Kiss Me is a love story that starts with a chance encounter in the JFK airport. After commiserating over their recently ended relationships, two strangers, British-born Charlotte and New Yorker Anthony, decide to spend Charlotte’s 17-hour layover by fulfilling the tasks suggested in a cheesy self-help book for Getting Over Your Ex. As they embark upon each task, they end up touching not only each other’s lives, but the lives of others who have found themselves alone on Christmas Eve. At only 200 pages, this is a brisk, merry romp through the YA rom-com genre that makes for perfect bedtime reading during the holidays. Recommended for Gr 8 Up for some language.

A Fast-Paced Adventure Story with a Well-Rounded Female Lead

Day of Ice (Crusoe #2) by Andrew Lane (Adaptive Books, 2017, 258pp.)

Friday, an agent of the king’s royal spy ring, is in trouble. While following a suspect through the frozen streets of London, she is captured by the insidious Circle of Thirteen and spirited away to a local insane asylum for mysterious purposes. As Friday fights tooth and nail against her captors, Robin, her friend and fellow spy, defies the orders of his superiors and risks everything to rescue her. In the process, both teens learn more about the Circle’s origins and intentions, as well as uncover a bizarre conspiracy of brainwashing and murder. Andrew Lane does pretty well with his second Crusoe novel, infusing it with break-neck pacing and high-drama chase scenes. Although Robin still remains relatively flat as a character, Friday really shines through as the story’s heroine, and readers will be eager to learn more about her past as the daughter of a pirate king. A lack of mature content leads me to recommend this title to adventure fans Grades 6-8.

Dawn of Spies

Dawn of Spies (Crusoe #1) by Andrew Lane (Adaptive Books, 2017, 320pp.) 

In this reimagining of Daniel Defoe’s 18th century classic of shipwreck and survival, Robinson “Robin” Crusoe, a merchant’s son, and Friday, the daughter of a pirate king, are finally rescued from a desert island after three long years as living as castaways. Shortly after they arrive in London, the writer Daniel Defoe offers to buy the rights to their amazing story. In normal circumstances, this close-knit pair of friends would be reluctant to open up to a stranger--however, circumstances have rendered them penniless, and they see no other choice but to agree to a meeting. Imagine their surprise when Defoe later reveals himself to be a spy for the government. He thinks their unique experiences will make them perfect spies, and wants to recruit them for service under King Charles II. Their first mission is to protect the king’s daughter, the Countess of Lichfield, from kidnapping by enemies of the Crown. Of course, despite the valiant efforts of Robin, Friday, and other members of the king’s spy ring, the Countess is kidnapped by masked men, and carried away in a hot air balloon. Things get even more tense when its discovered that she’s been taken by the Circle of Thirteen, an organization dedicated to taking down the entire empire at any cost.

Having already cut his teeth on the “reinvented classic” genre with his Young Sherlock Holmes series, Andrew Lane--for the most part--executes his premise well. I especially like what he did with the role of Friday. In the classical text, Friday is Crusoe’s male servant who swears subservience to the Englishman after the latter saves him from cannibals. In Lane’s work, Friday is Crusoe’s friend and equal, a strong and capable young black woman who is more than capable of holding her own. Although the fast-paced nature of the tale leaves little room for character development (which would have, in my opinion, made it a much better novel), its interesting premise and swashbuckling action sequences make this a good choice for fans of action/adventure. Recommended for Ages 13-15.